Then who is it for — Rabuka

Litia Cava
Wednesday, August 09, 2017

SOCIAL Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) leader Sitiveni Rabuka has raised questions over the comments made by the Fijian Electoral Commission chairperson Suresh Chandra that the data to be inserted in the software developed by NADRA is not meant for the members of public and political parties.

Mr Chandra had said the software was not for the elections, but for the Supervisor of Elections Office.

He had given his assurance that the new software developed by Pakistani company NADRA for the Fijian Electoral Office's electoral management will be audited by an independent IT expert.

"If this is not for public and political parties, then who is it for? It is unacceptable and worrying that this information is only for the Government or the minister responsible for elections, who is the general secretary of the ruling FijiFirst political party," Mr Rabuka said.

Mr Rabuka said Mr Chandra must first respond to the submissions made by political parties rather than make piecemeal reforms and partially adopting some of the recommendations made by the parties, without acknowledgement, and without fully implementing the recommendations.

"The five political parties' joint submission for electoral reform is based on the recommendations of the electoral commission made in 2014, as well as the report of the Multi-national Observer Group (MOG) on the 2014 General Election.

"We made the recommendations for reform in the interest of the people of Fiji, for free, fair and credible elections in 2018 and we remind the electoral commissioners that they do not serve on the commission only for themselves, or for the political party in power, but are tasked with a sacred responsibility by the Constitution to deliver fully free, fair and credible elections in 2018 to the people of Fiji."